THE BEST OF BARCELONA ON A TIGHT BUDGET!!

Early summer and fall are the best times to visit Barcelona, especially May to July.  Pleasant temperatures in the low to mid are accompanied by furry of festivals that trumpet the advent of summer.  However, it is not recommended to visit this city in the month of August as summer constitutes the high tourists season; temperatures, humidity and prices (on anything from airfares to hotels) are also at their highest.  August sees tons of Catalans heading out of town for cooler climates, leaving tourists to enjoy the city for themselves. That said, many restaurants and shops also decide it’s time for a vacation, thereby limiting the visitors’ selections for both shopping and dining. 

Looking for a backpacker hostel?  Look no further, this is the right place to be!

St Christopher's Inn Barcelona hostel

This hostel is highly recommended to backpackers. It’s located at Carrer de Bergara, 3, Barcelona, Spain, 08002 and many attractions of Barcelona are only minutes away on foot. Here, you can find a beautiful mezzanine garden, in-house cinema screen, outdoor eating areas and environment protecting solar panels on the roof. If you’d like, you may ask for privacy curtain and multi power socket for no additional charges whatsoever.  Besides that, breakfast, bed linen and Wi-Fi are FREE too. You can start off your day with a delicious Spanish breakfast and have a pleasant night over here with rates as low as €10.90 per night! Low cost and high quality. There’s no better combination!

Backpackers’ nightlife in Barcelona

Thinking of how to enjoy your nightlife in Barcelona with less than €15? Head down to L’Ovella Negra! The ideal place for drinking on a budget.

L'Ovella Negra is the perfect spot for a late night out in Barcelona. The charming and cosy environment is suitable for chit chat and chilling out. It is a popular spot among travellers and international students. This is a budget friendly bar suitable for backpackers to swap stories from their wild journeys with new friends. Price for tapas only costs €2.50 - €3.80 and €2.50 for 1.5 litres of beers.

The best place to kick back and enjoy a cold beer in Barcelona when you’re on a tight budget. 

CHEAP BARCELONA: EAT CHEAPPP

Barcelona is one of the world’s best cities when it comes to eating and drinking. The Mediterranean supplies the city with fresh seafoods. No one leaves Barcelona without sampling their mouth-watering local delicacies.

Tips for good food without burning a hole in your pocket

Menu del Dia:

• The daily special, especially at lunch, is the way to go. 
• For about €10 you can usually get a three course meal including a small bottle of wine. 
• It always serves big portions because these meals were meant to feed the workers, so do not be surprised if you find yourself surrounded by a group of Spanish people taking their lunch break. 
• Do not forget to order a cup of coffee in this restaurant which is a must try in Barcelona.

La Boqueria Market, Barcelona:

• It has nearly every piece of produce imaginable and a beautifully arranged fresh meat and fish market. Take your time to shop around and indulge in the different culture, both for fun and to find the cheapest prices.
• There is a hidden gem in the market called Bar Pinotxo which is also highly recommended. It has been in business for more than 50 years and to this day, it is still as busy as ever. There is no printed menu here, because all food is prepared depending on what is fresh on the day or according to season.
• One of their specialties is Chipirones con Judias, which means squid with haricot beans. Its appearance may surprise you, but do not be fooled! The taste is amazing with a huddle of plump tender haricot beans jumbled with the most tender baby squid you could imagine.

Los Toreros Restaurant – (€15-€20 per person)

‘Los Toreros’ means ‘The Bull Fighters’. Los Toreros offers some of the finest Catalan tapas and wine at the lowest prices. It is yet another hidden gem next to La Rambla, most tourists do not notice. The service is unpretentious, the atmosphere is comfortable and the walls are still adorned in bull fighting paraphernalia. Here are a few dishes recommended by the locals.

• Tapas (must try) - Recommend by Locals at Los Toreros
• Pa amb tomàquet (€3-4) - Classic Catalan delicacy that you HAVE to try whilst in Barcelona. It’s basically just bread with olive oil, garlic and tomato rubbed all over it. The guys at Los Toreros make it the traditional way – one portion should be enough for 2-3 people. Delicioso!
• Pimientos de Padrón (€4-5) - Juicy little green peppers that are gently fried in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. These are classic Spanish/Catalan tapas that add a little excitement to the meal. They say that in one portion, there will be one or two super spicy peppers; the rest are sweet. It’s a kind of Russian Roulette – Spanish style!
• Calamari (€5-6) - The ringlets of squid heaven are amazing at Los Toreros, as are their many other fish dishes. They really seem to make an effort to serve it as fresh as possible and serve it with lemons from the nearby Boqueria market – Que rico!
• Patatas Bravas (€5) – Spanish meal must be completed with a portion of spicy fried potatoes. Los Toreros’s have a good reputation this dishes.
• House Wine! (€8-12 per bottle) – Stick to a bottle of house wine and keep it simple and it is cheap over here.

Whatever Spanish getaway you choose for a summer trip, you won’t be disappointed. Try backpacking to Barcelona this summer and explore this wonderful city. It’ll be easier on the wallet and you are guaranteed to be satisfied by the end of the summer! With Backpack2Barcelona, we assure you that there is always a way to save on Euros and enjoying the good times! ;)